Hajj Nadduli, who once held a ministerial position after serving the ruling party as vice chairperson for the central region, asserts that it is wise for the NRM to listen to dissident voices through a national conversation.
“We fought against the abductions and many other brutal acts but this is what we are witnessing now,” Hajj Nadduli said during his 80th birthday party on December 23.
In order to undertake a national dialogue, the elderly man pleaded with the NRM party to “swallow its pride” and warned that President Museveni runs the risk of driving supporters into exile.
“I believe that President Museveni would not be happy when his own family members and the other relatives are abducted and detained on trumped-up charges in a country that he helped liberate 30 years ago,” he said, adding, “We have seen empires that once ruled the world later collapse. We had the Roman Empire, the Germans and the French. All these are no more. NRM party is not an exception.”
Suleiman Jakana Nadduli, the son of the seasoned politician, had developed a reputation as a dissenting voice and was detained on an accusation of sectarianism. According to reports, his health declined while he was being held.
Since the campaigns for the 2021 general elections, the opposition has voiced complaints about the kidnapping of its followers and the torturing of those in custody. The House was given a formal explanation on the situation and a list of the missing people so that the government might take appropriate action.
Hajj Nadduli advised against using a gun to try to silence dissenting opinions.
“I’m championing the flag for national dialogue not because of lack of what to do but because I care about the future of the next generation,” he said, adding, “I have tried to use the different avenues, including the radio and television talk shows to suggest to the NRM the best way of engaging the citizenry for a better and peaceful country, but all in vain.”
Party officials from the NRM party avoided Hajj Nadduli’s 80th birthday celebration. It is unknown what brought to this. But the seasoned politician promises to keep telling it how it is. He continued by saying that he would continue to mentor the younger generations, just as he had done when a group of young people sought to convince him to support President Museveni as the NRM’s candidate in the 2026 elections.